Though they’ve lived in Naarm/Melbourne for eight years now, you simply can’t take Wellington out of the Aotearoa/New Zealand-raised Bakers Eddy.

Having been releasing music since 2015, the Melbourne-via-Wellington quartet have now given listeners a tribute to their hometown, with Manners Street being named for the street in their hometown.

“Manners Street is almost a tribute to OUR Wellington, the one we grew up in, our experiences, our people and the places,” explains Ngati Porou Ngati Tuwharetoa frontman Ciarann Babbington.

The track arrives as the first taste of their forthcoming EP, and is their first piece of new music since the release of their acclaimed 2022 album, Love Boredom Bicyles. It's a cathartic single which is equally cathartic and crucial for the group which found themselves seeking belonging following their record and the hectic touring scheduled that followed.

“The four of us spent a long time last year reconnecting with each other and one of the things that came out as a result was this shared feeling of being a little lost in ourselves and who we are,” Ciarann explains. “Through those conversations, we realised a big part of that was we’ve been away for so long now that we’ve, in a way, forgotten our roots.

“Writing Manners Street felt like a way to reconnect from far away, not only with our memories but with that part of ourselves that was missing,” he adds. “It’s also special to us because all four of us are connected lyrically to it. They’re our shared stories and memories (aside from the parking lot one, that's just for me), so in a way it's the most ‘Bakers Eddy’ Bakers Eddy song we’ve made so far.”

To celebrate the release of Manners Street, Bakers Eddy have shared a bit of a love letter to Wellington, taking a look back at those glory days as they reflected on the most memorable spots in their hometown.

1. Satay Kingdom

This restaurant has somehow become a yardstick for us whenever we eat together. It’s a small Malaysian place down a dark alley off of Cuba St that does the best $3 roti and satay sauce deal in town. We’d hit it every time we were in the city. I

t peaked when they got busted on a current affairs show for reusing leftovers. Generally, it just added more flavor and charm. This was years ago, they don't do that anymore. Allegedly.

2. The Bit In Front Of Fishermans Table That You Can Only Access At Low Tide

Just past the always popular Oriental Parade beach, there’s what used to be a seafood place that sticks out from the roadside to the water. There’s a concrete slab that it sits on that you can only get to when the water is low enough, which is a prime location for drinking Scrumpy’s and smoking big fat blunts in privacy.

It’s perfect on a sunny day. You can dip your feet in the ocean and you get a perfect view of the city, but if you screw up and linger too long the only way out is by swimming back to the beach. 

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3. South Karori

We lived in different spots around town but we pretty much grew up in South Karori, specifically right down the end of the road. We’d make the hour-long walk from the bus stop to Jamie’s place every day after school and play music, bush jump, mingle with the hippie commune next door, swim in the stream.

Twice a year the hippies would throw these equinox parties and the entire free-spirited community in Aotearoa would congregate and get fucked up. We played a couple times, to their credit the hippies were fairly open to us. Then we’d spend the night racking their Cody’s bourbon and Cokes. 

4.  The Water Tower

It’s a big tank up the top of Ngaio, that supplies water to most of town, and a perfect place to party when you’re a teenager. First of all, you get by far the best view of Wellington, Secondly, no one ever makes the mish to the top so you’re alone most of the time.

It somehow became the spot, like, you just assumed that you’d end up there, at least within our circle. As a result, a lot of dumb, funny shit went down there. Some firsts, some lasts. We’ve all got very fond memories of this stupid water tank. 

5. Manners Street

I feel like this place deserves a mention. Specifically, before they put a bus lane right through the middle of it. It used to be pedestrian only and it was the spot where all the goths, emos, skaters would congregate. It’s basically right in the center of town and the edgier, scruffier cousin to Cuba St.

It was the place we’d meet up to go skate, we were nearly robbed there, there was a Timezone where we’d play to win bouncy balls to throw off the Reading Cinema car park. It was home to two legendary Wellington buskers too, four bowl Frank Sinatra (RIP) and blue vest juggling guy (RIP).